1. Field
The invention relates to a computing environment. More particularly to a computer program, method, and system for sharing cloud database resources.
2. General Background
Cloud computing provides a means to use computing resources that are remote from a client machine being directly accessed by a user. There are various applications and services available as cloud applications. Many businesses already use cloud computing and cloud databases. These businesses are developing and providing end user applications. As individuals purchase their ‘Virtual PCs’ with virtual desktops, customized applications, etc., they will be utilizing virtual or cloud databases.
WebSphere® Application Server provides support for Federated repositories. (WebSphere is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation.) These repositories can be file-based repositories utilizing a Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) for reading and editing directories over an internet Protocol (IP) network. A directory in this sense is an organized set of records: for example, a telephone directory is an alphabetical list of persons and organizations with an address and phone number in each “record,” LDAP repositories, or a sub-tree of an LDAP repository, are defined and theoretically combined under a single realm. In addition, the federated repositories functionality in WebSphere Application Server supports the logical joining of entries across multiple user repositories when the Application Server searches and retrieves entries from the repositories. For example, when an application calls for a sorted list of people whose age is greater than twenty, WebSphere Application searches all of the repositories in the federated repositories configuration. The results are combined and sorted before the Application Server returns the results to the application.
Additional details of the Federated repository support is further described on: publib.boulder.ibm.com/infocenter/wasinfo/y6r1/index.jsp?topic=/com.ibm.websph ere.base.doc/info/aes/ae/cwim_fedrepos.html
Currently, controlling cloud database allocation is the role of the database administrator which is present in the cloud. The end-user has no control. An administrator may have a policy of reallocating cloud database resources to other cloud database users until they are needed. Also, there is no support for contributing a database resource by an end user to a cloud environment.
While this is adequate for businesses, consumers who subscribe or purchase a virtual PC want to feel like they ‘own’ what they purchased, even if it is a virtual purchase. Using current business allocation methods completely limits the social norm of ‘sharing” personally owned items, specifically allowing an owned cloud database to be shared with an associates or relatives.
The cloud environment has the potential to provide many advantages to a server or specific web site support. The cloud environment typically has security, load balancing, and other desirable features where computing resources may be adjusted to meet changing needs.